3D Recording in the Field: Style Without Substance?

Abstract

3D recording of archaeological sites is one of the trendiest applications in archaeology today. Archaeologists are increasingly devoted to applying three-dimensional approaches, with a variety of techniques and results. As these methods become increasingly common, archaeologists face an important challenge: that of ensuring the data they collect is relevant to the research questions they investigate. For many archaeologists, anthropologically focused or otherwise, these questions may often relate to grand narratives of culture change or similarly broad topics. Very little effort has gone into connecting the results or outputs of the ongoing “3D revolution” in archaeology to broader theoretical issues, with no middle range theory adequately connecting these new methods to one of archaeology’s ultimate goals—studying culture change. It has yet to be established whether or not 3D recording will form the basis of the next revolution in archaeological practice akin to the development and ubiquitous adoption of archaeological GIS, if it will be seen as a purely methodological advance, or even if it will be relegated to sideshow status as an aesthetically pleasing but ultimately unproductive party trick. This chapter will discuss the usefulness of 3D field recording for contributing to the grand narratives told by archaeology and take a critical perspective as to whether or not 3D recording can truly contribute to answering the questions asked by archaeologists worldwide regardless of region or era of focus.